"The Old Master’s Wages"
I met a dear old man today,
Who wore a Masonic pin.
It was old and faded like the man,
It's edges were worn quite thin.
I approached the park bench where he sat,
To give the old brother his due.
I said, "I see you've traveled East."
He said, "I have, have you?"
I said, "I have, and in my day,
Before the All Seeing Sun,
I played in the rubble, with Jubala
Jubalo and Jubalum."
He shouted, "Don't laugh at the work my son,
It's good and sweet and true.
And, if you've traveled as you said,
You should give these things their due."
The word, the sign the token,
The sweet Masonic prayer,
The vow that all have taken,
Who've climbed the inner stair.
The wages of a Mason,
are never paid in gold,
but the gain comes from contentment
when you're weak and growing old.
You see, I've carried my obligations
For almost fifty years.
It has helped me through the hardships
and the failures full of tears.
Now I'm losing my mind and body;
Death is near but I don't despair.
I've lived my life upon the level,
And, I'm dying upon the square.
Sometimes the greatest lessons
Are those that are learned anew,
And the old man in the park today
has changed my point of view.
To all Masonic brothers,
The only secret is to care;
May you live your life upon the level,
May you part upon the square.
I met a dear old man today,
Who wore a Masonic pin.
It was old and faded like the man,
It's edges were worn quite thin.
I approached the park bench where he sat,
To give the old brother his due.
I said, "I see you've traveled East."
He said, "I have, have you?"
I said, "I have, and in my day,
Before the All Seeing Sun,
I played in the rubble, with Jubala
Jubalo and Jubalum."
He shouted, "Don't laugh at the work my son,
It's good and sweet and true.
And, if you've traveled as you said,
You should give these things their due."
The word, the sign the token,
The sweet Masonic prayer,
The vow that all have taken,
Who've climbed the inner stair.
The wages of a Mason,
are never paid in gold,
but the gain comes from contentment
when you're weak and growing old.
You see, I've carried my obligations
For almost fifty years.
It has helped me through the hardships
and the failures full of tears.
Now I'm losing my mind and body;
Death is near but I don't despair.
I've lived my life upon the level,
And, I'm dying upon the square.
Sometimes the greatest lessons
Are those that are learned anew,
And the old man in the park today
has changed my point of view.
To all Masonic brothers,
The only secret is to care;
May you live your life upon the level,
May you part upon the square.
In his book Brother Truman, Allen E. Roberts writes of the young Mason Bernard Topper who in 1954 worked at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. The hotel manager received a request from the former president's room for a Bible. Bernard was sent with the Bible. Bernard asked Harry Truman to sign his dues card but asked him not to turn the card over.
"Why can't I look on the other side of the card?" asked Harry.
"You may not like what is written there, Sir." Bernard sheepishly replied.
Harry Truman turned the card over and found the signature of his long time adversary and fellow mason Douglas MacArthur. Harry laughed and said, "Young man, we are all brothers after all. I'll sign right under his name."
"Why can't I look on the other side of the card?" asked Harry.
"You may not like what is written there, Sir." Bernard sheepishly replied.
Harry Truman turned the card over and found the signature of his long time adversary and fellow mason Douglas MacArthur. Harry laughed and said, "Young man, we are all brothers after all. I'll sign right under his name."
Our past...
I found this photo on eBay of the Orland Laurel #245 building circa 1920
Today (9-14-12) in 1814, Bro. Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. Celebrate by listening to a performance of our national anthem by members of our armed forces: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ETrr-XHBjE&fmt=18
Known as "the Man of 1,000 Voices," Melvin Jerome Blank was an accomplished bassist, violinist and sousaphone player. Early in his career he played in the NBC Radio Orchestra and conducted the pit orchestra at the Orpheum Theatre in Portland.
A voice specialist from radio, movies and TV, Blanc was rarely seen by his audience although widely recognized as the voice of virtually every major Warner Brothers cartoon character except Elmer Fudd. He is perhaps best known for the voice of Bugs Bunny. Joining the Warner Bros. studio in 1936 (1937?), Blanc’s voice was also featured as the original voice of Woody Woodpecker in 1940. The following year he was signed to an exclusive contract with Warner Bros.
Over the years, Blanc received many awards from civic organizations. Among them were the United Jewish Welfare Fund Man of the Year and the Show Business Shrine Club’s first Life Achievement Award. One of Blanc’s favorite charities was the Shrine Hospital Children’s Burn Center.
A voice specialist from radio, movies and TV, Blanc was rarely seen by his audience although widely recognized as the voice of virtually every major Warner Brothers cartoon character except Elmer Fudd. He is perhaps best known for the voice of Bugs Bunny. Joining the Warner Bros. studio in 1936 (1937?), Blanc’s voice was also featured as the original voice of Woody Woodpecker in 1940. The following year he was signed to an exclusive contract with Warner Bros.
Over the years, Blanc received many awards from civic organizations. Among them were the United Jewish Welfare Fund Man of the Year and the Show Business Shrine Club’s first Life Achievement Award. One of Blanc’s favorite charities was the Shrine Hospital Children’s Burn Center.
When the first Grand Lodge was formed in 1717, it had no jurisdiction, ritual, constitution or laws. There were only two degrees. The third degree was first reported in 1725 and came into being without sanction of the Grand Lodge. The practice of issuing Warrants to Lodges began in 1757. There were no investigating committees for new candidates. Instead, the Master took a voice vote.
Brother Prince Hall pressed John Hancock (a fellow Mason) to permit him
to join the Continental Army and was one of the few men of color who
fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The Longest Membership
Charles McCue was born on the 14th of June in 1756 in Northern Ireland.
He became a mason at the age of 18.
He migrated to Canada in 1837 and affiliated to St Johns Lodge #68, Ingersoll, Ontario. When he died on 5th May 1870, he had been a mason for almost 95 years.
He became a mason at the age of 18.
He migrated to Canada in 1837 and affiliated to St Johns Lodge #68, Ingersoll, Ontario. When he died on 5th May 1870, he had been a mason for almost 95 years.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791
Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. Being a musical child-prodigy, he toured the country with his father, Leopold and sister Maria Anna for years. His ability to play complex compositions from memory, to play blindfolded, and ultimately to compose were some of the many musical gifts he had. He worked many years for the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg and then moved to Vienna, the imperial capital and a major cultural center, working as a freelance composer and musician, though continually seeking a formal appointment at an aristocratic court. Mozart broke with his father when he married Constanze Weber, a singer from a family of impoverished musicians, against Leopold's wishes. He died at the age of 35.
Mozart composed a number of masonic pieces. When his father received his masonic Second Degree Wolfgang wrote "Fellow Crafts Journey (Op. K468) to honor the occasion. For lodge Zur Wohltatigkeit he wrote "Opening Ode" (Op. K483) and Closing Ode (Op. K484) His last masonic work was written for the dedication of a masonic temple in Vienna on November 15, 1791. The masonic influence and symbolism was present in his operas Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute.
During his life, this incredible genius and one of the most gifted musicians that ever lived, wrote a number of symphonies, operas, concertos, masses and his final Requiem.
Initiated: December 14, 1784
lodge Zur Woltatigkeit
Passed: January 7, 1785
Raised: before April 22, 1785
Lodge Zur Wahren Eintracht
January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791
Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. Being a musical child-prodigy, he toured the country with his father, Leopold and sister Maria Anna for years. His ability to play complex compositions from memory, to play blindfolded, and ultimately to compose were some of the many musical gifts he had. He worked many years for the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg and then moved to Vienna, the imperial capital and a major cultural center, working as a freelance composer and musician, though continually seeking a formal appointment at an aristocratic court. Mozart broke with his father when he married Constanze Weber, a singer from a family of impoverished musicians, against Leopold's wishes. He died at the age of 35.
Mozart composed a number of masonic pieces. When his father received his masonic Second Degree Wolfgang wrote "Fellow Crafts Journey (Op. K468) to honor the occasion. For lodge Zur Wohltatigkeit he wrote "Opening Ode" (Op. K483) and Closing Ode (Op. K484) His last masonic work was written for the dedication of a masonic temple in Vienna on November 15, 1791. The masonic influence and symbolism was present in his operas Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute.
During his life, this incredible genius and one of the most gifted musicians that ever lived, wrote a number of symphonies, operas, concertos, masses and his final Requiem.
Initiated: December 14, 1784
lodge Zur Woltatigkeit
Passed: January 7, 1785
Raised: before April 22, 1785
Lodge Zur Wahren Eintracht
A FULL MASONIC NAME
Hiram Abiff Boaz was born on December 18, 1866, at Murray, Kentucky. He moved to Texas at an early age. In 1891 he was ordained a Methodist minister. In 1922 he was elected a Bishop of the church. He became a member of Granger Lodge No. 677 of Texas. When he received his third degree, a large attended because of the unusual name of the new member. He served as Grand Chaplain of Texas on 1953.
This brother had many interesting experiences connected with his name. He never tired of telling of the time he was traveling in the Holy Land and arrived at a Mosque in Hebron on the wrong day for visitors. When he told then his name was Boaz, it seemed as if he had given a magic password. Others were not admitted that day, but they opened the gates for him.
This brother had many interesting experiences connected with his name. He never tired of telling of the time he was traveling in the Holy Land and arrived at a Mosque in Hebron on the wrong day for visitors. When he told then his name was Boaz, it seemed as if he had given a magic password. Others were not admitted that day, but they opened the gates for him.
"Bazooka Bob"
Brother Bob "Bazooka" Burns (1890-1956), WWII era comedian invented a wacky horn he used in his act and called it a "Bazooka." The horn was shaped like a tube with a flared end. The WWII recoil-less shoulder fired anti-tank rocket launcher had a similar shape and was nicknamed the "Bazooka" after Brother Bob's contraption.
Ernest Borgnine
Academy award winning actor Ernest Borgnine is a member of Abingdon Lodge 48, Abingdon, Virginia.
At 95, Brother Borgnine remains an active Freemason and is presently the Honorary Chairman of the Scottish Rite RiteCare Program, which sponsors 175 Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinics, Centers, and Programs nationwide.
At 95, Brother Borgnine remains an active Freemason and is presently the Honorary Chairman of the Scottish Rite RiteCare Program, which sponsors 175 Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinics, Centers, and Programs nationwide.
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